Automatic gate for railway crossings



AVAILABLE COPY March 30 1926. 1,578,587

6. DE AGOSTINI AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY cnos'smes Filed April 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2:

Gemr 0 de AqosTl m By 2 M I G. DE AGOSTINI AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS March 30 192 6. 1,578,587

Filed April 5'; 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

I; illmllllml I? "."ELr

i5 F i A'fforne g Patented Mar. 30,1926.

U IT D STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

ennazano n1: iaeosrmr, or camom'rrano, ITALY.

auronrrc'ea'rn ron RAILWAY cnossmes.

Application fled April 5, 1924. Serial 110. 704,389.

To all whom it may aoncem:

Be it known that I, Gnmnno on Acos'rrm, a subject of the King of Italy, and residing at Oampolattaro, Province 'of Benevento, 1n

the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in utomatic Gates for Railway, Crossings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to automatic gates for railway crossings and means for operating the same. I It is an object of the invention to provide a gate comprising a bar rotatable about a hdrizontal pivot and having a counterweight whose weight may be varied to arrange the bar in closing or open position.

A further object aims at providing train controlled means for varying the counterweight of the gate bar.

A further object aims at providing a receptacle in the counterweight of said gate bar, a compressor remote from said receptacle and meansfor actuatin said compressor to fill the receptacle with to evacuate said receptacle, respectively;

It is also an object of the invention to provide train controlled means for actuating said compressor.

With these and numerous other objects in view which .will become apparent from the description of the invention, the latter comprises the means described in the specification,'particularly referred to in the claims forming a part thereof as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the lowered gate,

the gate in the open position being shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section of the compressor for the hydraulic transmis- S1011.

Figs. 3 and 4: are vertical sections of the said compressor on the line XX .of Fig.2, in its compression phase with 0 en barrier, and suction phase with closed arrier, respectively.

Figs. 5 cross section and a top view of the rail to which is protected by a gate, andat a suflia; liquid and and consequently the gate is not lowered.

.ing to a compressor as hereinafter further and 6 represent respectively a which is applied the foot lever which controls the hydraulic transmission ap aratus.

Fig. 7 is a front view of the foot ever, as seen in section according. to line XX of Fig. 6; p

igs. 8 and 9 represent-respectively a side view and a to view of the. line contact plied beside e rail. 1, Y

A train approaching a level-crossing cient distance from same, act's one, device which will be referred to hereinafter as a line contact which by interrupting a circuitnormally. closed, releases an armature controlled by an electromagnet inserted in the said circuit, and actuates the o tical"and accoustic signals, such as electric- 'ght, bells and the like, and closes the ates by gravity. When the train has reac ed, the gate, it acts on a foot lever which by means of a hydraulic transmission efiects the reopening of the gate by the same force of avity.

On the train passing beyond 1: e0 posite side of the protected section, where t e line,- contact is laced, which has to efiect the closing of t e barrier on the approach of a. train from an opposite 'directlon, the said contact owing to its s ecial conformation does not act on the hy raulictransmission, .8

0 I As shown in Fig. 1 the railway gate comprises a tubular barl made of metal, wood or any other suitable material and provided with a counterweight 12 of cast iron or sheet metal of the shape of a bar having a side opening Swhich may be closed by asuitable cover. The counterweight houses avessel 4 adapted to be filled by a tube 5 with a liquid such as a mixture of water and g1 cerine.

The bar rotates on horizonta pivots 6 carried by a ball bearing 7 of arms 8 upstanding from a standard 9. The tube 5 is" suitably connected with a tube 10 provided in the interior of the standard 9 and leadexplained. .The weight ofathe parts of the bar is-distributed in such a way, that when the vessel 4 is empty the weight of thebar 1 exceeds that of the counterweight and-the gate is then in horizontal or closing posi- 1 as f tion as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. However, when the vessel 4 has been filled the counterweight is heavier than the bar 1 and the gate automatically rises to open position 1", 2, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

conduits 10 which convey the liquid to the two vessels 4 lead to twocylinders 11 of a compressor situated a short distance from the gate at the side of the track. The two cylinders 11 (Figs. 2 and 3) are open at the bottom and are arranged in a casing 12.

In thecylinders 11 reciprocate pistons 13' whose rods 14 engage with a ball the ends of a movable cross bar 15 which slides vertically. ontwo fixed uprights 16 arranged in 'the casing 12. The cross bar 15 controls a vertical rod 17 which projects through the bottom of the casin and reciprocates in two guide collars 18- and 19provided respectively at the upper and lower end of the rod. The latter has fixedly secured thereto a set ring 20 bearing'on the upper edge of collar 18 and is held thereagainst by a spring 21 whose other end engages the lower face of cross bar 15.

The cylinders 11 contain the liquid adapted to be displaced into the'vessels 4 in the counterweight of the gate bars. Upon the rod 17 being pushed upwardly the ring 20 compresses the spring 21 and the latter forces the cross bar 15 and therewith the vpistons 13 upwards thus displacing the iquid in the cylinders 11 through the conduits 10 into the vessels 4 causing the bars to be raised to open position.

When the rod 17 reaches the limit of its upward stroke, as shown in Fig. 3, it is locked in such position by a wheel22 secured to the upper end of the rod 17 and passing over a pawl 23. This is the normal position as the bars are raised and such position is maintained until the pawl 23 releases the wheel 22 and therewith the rod 17 allowing the spring 21. to expand and the rod 17 and cross bar 15 to descend. Thereupon, the

' pistons 13 descend under gravity creating thereby a partial vacuum and drawing the liquid from the containers 4 into the vessels "1 11 whereby the bars are lowered, as the counterweight no longer exceeds the weight of the bars.

The raising of the rod 17, in order to open' the bars, is effected by the train, by means of a foot-lever placed near the bars and shown on Figs. 5', 6 and 7 {and the release of the pawl 22 in order to close the-barrier, is also effected by the -train, by means of the line contact shown in Figs. 8 and 9, placed alongside of the track at a sufficient distance from the railway crossing.

The foot lever consists of a bent arm 24, with its vertex slightly above the rail 25 at the side of which the lever is placed.

Thearm 24 is mounted at-one end on a shaft 26 which at the other end is provided with a lever 27, and is journaled in bearings 28. The free end of the arm 27, enters a pit 29- below the casing 12 and passes through an eye 30 at the lower end of the rod 17.

It is clear from the foregoing, that the first wheel of a train passing over the foot lever,

depresses the same, imparting to the shaft 26 a partial revolution, and this causes the lever remains in its lowermost position.

The pawl 23, which is controlled by a spring 31, is mounted at the end of the shorter arm 32, of a Y shaped lever, pivotally mounted as at 33. One long arm 34 of said lever is continually forced downwardly by a spring 35. The other long-arm 36 carries at its extremity a pawl 37 which can only yield in a downward direction, and which is pulled upward by the action of a spring 38. In the position shown in Fig. 3, the pawl 37 rests on a lug provided on the armature 39 of an elec-tro-magnet 40 permanently energized by a storage battery (not shown). The armature is attracted against the resistance of a spring 41 so that the pawl 37 is engaged, and the rod 17 raised because the Y-lever 31, 34,36, cannot rotate. If, however, the circuit which energizes the electro-magnet is broken, the spring .41

the Y-shaped lever to take again the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the pawl 37, again engages the armature 39. As soon as current flows agam 1n the circuit of the electro-magnet 40, the arm 36'engages a stop 59.

In order to effect making and breaking of the circuit, the line contact shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is provided. It consists of an electro-magnet 42 placed by the side of the rails 25, and supported by a vertical shaft 43 around which it may rotate freely. Its pole shoes 44 are at the same elevation as the rails. The electro-magnet is permanently pistons 13 where- ,sition by the pawl 23. Incidentally, the foot y energized, and its windings, are serially connected in the circuit of the same battery which feeds the electro-magnet 40, and receive the current from the wire 47 connected "with the terminal 48 which is grounded.

From the battery current flows through wire 50 to the terminal 51, which has a con-' tact spring 52 lying against the head of a screw 46, and through-this screw, thecircuit which includes the two electrmmagnets 40,

- 42, is closed.

The' shaft 43 is provided with a lug 53,

- which upon the electr'o-magnet 42 revolving magnets 40 and 42.

in the direction of the arrow Z, raises the spring 52 from the head of the screw 56, and breaks the circuit of the two electro- It is clear that on the passing of a mass of iron such as the wheel 49' of the locomotive, the pole shoes 44 will be attracted, and

will tend to follow the wheel in its movement. However, the shaft 43 can only .turn in the direction shown, by the arrow Z, being prevented by a stop from revolving in the opposite direction.

The elect-ro-magnet therefore will only follow the wheel upon the trains moving in the direction shown by the arrow Z, (Fig. 9), that is in the case the trams approach the barrier, otherwise it will remain thepassage then of such a stationary. On train theelectro-magnet 42 will turn in the direction of the arrow Z. It will thus break the circuit which energizes it, and which energizes also the electro-magnet 40, and thus the electro-magnet 40 will release its arma-' ture rendering possible the withdrawal of the liquid from vessels 4, and causing" thus the bars to rise, and the electro-magnet 42 thus rendered inoperative, will return to its initial position under the action of a spring 58.

In case of a double track, it is to be understood that two foot-levers will be used, one

- for each line, as well as two line contacts actuated by trams running in opposite direct-ions, and besides in the counterweight of each gate, there will be two vessels for the liquid, counterweight instead of one, and the gate will be balanced so as to open only when both vessels are full.-

It is thus possible, although two trains may be approaching simultaneously from opposite directions to the level crossing, for the'ga'te to remain closed until the two trains have both passed the gates because only then 'will the two vessels be full of liquid and permit the gates to turn.

Claims: 1 v

1. A railway gate, including a bar rotatable about a horizontal pivot andterminating in a counterweight, a receptacle in said counterweight, means for pumping a'liquid into and out of said receptacle, means for locking the pumping means upon the liquid being forced into said iieceptacle,-and means for releasing said lo'cliing means to evacuate said receptacle.

2. A railway gate, including a bar rotatable about a horizontal pivot and terminating in a counterweight, a receptacle in said counterweight, train actuated means for pumping a liquid into and out of said receptacle, means for locking said pumping.

means upon the liquid being forced into said receptacle, and means for releasing said locking means to evacuate said receptacle.

3. A railway gate, including a bar rotatable about a horizontal pivot and terminating in a counterweight, a receptacle in said counterweight, train operated means for pumping a liquid into and out of said -re-- ceptacle, and means for temporarily locking said gunrping means upon the liquid being force into said receptacle.

4. A railway 'gate, includingabar rotatable about a horizontal pivot and terminating in a, counterweight, a rece tacle in said counterweight, train operate means for pumping a'liquid into and out of said re- 'ceptacle, said means'includinga compresinto said receptacle, said locking means including an electro-magnet adapted-to preventreciprocatlon of saidrod.

6. A railway'gate, including a bar rotaing 1n a counterweight, a receptacle in said counterweight, a compressor remote from sald receptacle but communicating therewith, a train operated means 'for actuatin said compressor to force a liquid'into sai; I

receptacle, means for locking. said compressor upon filling said receptacle, and train operated means for releasing said compressor to withdraw the liquid from said receptacle.

,7. A railway gate, including a bar rotatable about a horizontal pivot and terminating in a counterweight, a receptacle in said. counterweight, a. compressor remote from the liquid being forced into table about a horizontal pivot and terminatsaid receptacle but communicating therewith, train controlled means for actuating said compressorto force a liquid into said receptacle,"electrically controlled means .for locking said compressor upon filling "said receptacle, and train controlled means for releasing said compressor to withdraw the liquid from said'receptacle.

8. A railway. gate, including a bar ,rota

counterweight, acompressor remote from thesald receptacle but communicating therewith, a lever'in the path of the train and A actuated thereby to operate said compressor to force a liquid into said receptacle,'electrlcally controlled means for locking said compressor upon filling said rece tacle and means in the path of a train an thereby for releasingsaid locking means and therewithsaid compressor. I p y In testimony whereof I- have affixed my signature.

Rome, the 16th of February, 1924.'

GERARDO DE AGOSTINI.

actuated 10" 

